Spain Trip Report: Madrid (sidetrips to Toledo & Segovia), and Rioja LONG

I researched my trip extensively on this site and I offer this report to contribute to the valuable information I got here.

We left home just as the volcano was beginning to affect air travel again. Luckily it didn't affect us and our flights went off without a hitch.

We arrived in Madrid (via Paris) at about 4:00 in the afternoon, landing in Terminal 2. If there were ATMs in the arrival area, I didn't see them and we were happy to have gotten euros at home for the taxi into town. For us, a small price to pay for the peace of mind. (Also, we were unable to use ATMs in Paris as well. The terminal we connected to for our flight to Spain had no ATMs past security.)

We collected our bags and grabbed a taxi. I had debated the metro vs. shuttle vs. taxi option in my head and stuck with my usual philosophy: I'm jetlagged and on vacation and want the simplest most convenient way of getting into town. Based on all of the negative comments about Madrid taxi drivers, I had done plenty of research and printed out information about appropriate charges, etc. Didn't need it. We arrived at our apartment in the Barrio Salamanca quickly and were charged 22 euros. So we were happy with our taxi choice, and after seeing all of the stairs and lengthy connections in the metro system it was confirmed once again.

We stayed for seven nights at Apartamentos Ramon de la Cruz 41, which was listed in Maribel's guide. It was perfect. It was spacious, clean, and quiet. Cereal, milk, juice, fruit, coffee, tea, hot chocolate and prepackaged bread products were provided daily in our kitchen for breakfast. There was daily clean up service. Front desk staff were very friendly and helpful. There is a grocery store a couple of blocks away on Nunez de Balboa, a panaderia on the way there, and the Mercado de la Paz is just a few blocks beyond that. Plenty of toiletries, but bring your own laundry detergent if you plan on washing clothes (we did). Free wifi.

After settling in and taking a brief nap, we set out to find a place to grab some quick food and a glass of wine to celebrate our arrival. We went to Lateral, a tapas chain, which suited our needs just fine.

For our first day we headed to the TI at Plaza Mayor to sign up for the Essential Madrid walking tours. Essential Madrid I started at noon and lasted about an hour and a half. It was nicely informative and a good orientation. We lucked out and caught the end of the changing of the guards at the Royal Palace, which happens only once a month and which I thought we'd miss because I didn't want to get up early and go find a place to watch it. Turns out, the tail end of the ceremony was enough for me and a great experience.

Between walking tours we went to the Mercado San Miguel, right off the Plaza Mayor, for lunch. What a great place! It's filled with food vendors of every type and hopping with locals and tourists alike. We had a fun time moving around from vendor to vendor and trying different foods and beverages. Note that there is a public bathroom here which costs 50 cents (in euros, of course), but is well worth it as there are no public bathrooms at the TI.

After our break we took the Essential Madrid II tour. I don't know if we were tired by now, or too full of good food and drink, but it wasn't as interesting. I say if you have time for only one tour, you can take Essential Madrid I and be well served.

Walking tours completed, we headed back to our neighborhood where we went to Lavinia and bought some of the under-10-euro wines, visited the Mercado de la Paz and got jamon and cheese at Jose Alvarez and bread at La Bouleltte, and swung by the supermarket for essentials. A note about Mercado de la Paz: it is nothing like Mercado San Miguel. La Paz is a working neighborhood market with great food buying options, but not really set up for an evening tapas hop. Both are wonderful on their own merits.

Next day we headed out to the Santiago Bernabeu stadium for a tour. We opted for the self-guided option and quite enjoyed ourselves for a couple of hours touring the stadium, the pitch, locker room, and trophy room. Afterwards, we walked into Real Café in the stadium and ate at the restaurant upstairs at a window table overlooking the pitch. The food and wine were top rate. Cost: about 80 euros for appetizer, two entrees, dessert, coffee and wine, but the view was priceless. Note that there is a special set menu (and a sushi chef, if you need one in Madrid) that is much less expensive, but available only in the bar area which has no view, but was quite busy with local folks.

Because the day was beautiful we adjusted our plans and headed to Retiro Park, which is gorgeous and immense. We rented a row boat and paddled around the lake a bit. Here's where I had one of those "we're not in the USA anymore moments": We paid the rental fee for the boat, got in, and rowed. No signing of papers, no "training," no required life jackets, etc., to release anyone from liability. I loved the "you're responsible for yourself" approach without all that rigmarole!

After touring some of the gardens we wandered over to the Paseo del Prado where we might have had our one and only encounter with a couple of young boys who looked like they were up to no good (and we had seen stopped by police earlier). They approached us but we kept our distance and were fine. We were on alert for pickpockets the entire time in Madrid, but were unaware of any attempts on us. We also were prepared. My husband used a money belt and didn’t carry a wallet; I carried a PacSafe purse, with built-in lock and steel mesh reinforcements, across my body.

We had some time to kill before the Prado opened its doors for free so wandered over to the Caixa Forum for a quick tour (also free). After that we did our "major works of the Prado" tour, which I had printed out from their Web site. Yes, it was plenty for me but realize others may need more immersion in the Prado. I work in the arts so it's a bit of a busman's holiday for me, and my taste runs to more contemporary art. Note that you still must get a ticket before entering even for the free hours. Bushwhacked, we returned to our apartment for some tapas and wine.

Toledo was on the itinerary for the next day. We took a train around 10:30 from Atocha station. Note that the trains for Toledo leave from the lower level. Here's where I will disclose my bias: in the continuing Toledo vs. Segovia question, I ended up falling in the Segovia camp. Toledo was beautiful, but I agree with Maribel and find it too brooding for my taste. Note that you pay on the bus for the ride into town, but do not need exact change, which the bus driver will gladly make (unlike where I live). We toured the cathedral (the transparente is a site to behold), had some tapas at Adolfo nearby, and took the Zocotren tour. Note that the Zocotren fills up fast and everyone wants to sit on the open-air right-hand side so if you arrive only five minutes before the tour begins like we did, you will sit on the inside next to the plexiglass. However, I didn't feel like my view was ever obstructed and when it started to rain I just smiled at the wet folks who wouldn't scoot over and made us sit on the inside. Yes, it's hokey, but if you didn't drive to Toledo, the Zocotren is a great way to view the city from outside the city walls. After the Zocotren, we bought a marzipan assortment and enjoyed it on the Plaza Zocodover until it started to rain. That kind of ended our time in Toledo and we headed back to the train station about an hour before our departure, which was around 5:30. We scheduled more than enough time in Toledo for our interests and I did not regret making it a day trip.

Segovia was our second day trip. Again, a train around 10:30 but from Chamaratin station. Upon arrival in Segovia, do not dawdle on the way to the bus unless you want to stand for the 20-minute ride into town. Again, you pay on the bus for the ride into town, and the bus driver will gladly make change. Once in the town, confirm the bus schedule home as it did not run as frequently as the busses in Toledo. Aaaah, I'm a sucker for an aqueduct. We spent plenty of time walking up and down its length and taking pictures. Meson de Candido was nearby and wonderful aromas were emanating from it. We had not planned on eating a formal lunch, and I had assumed that without reservations we'd be out of luck. However, we popped in, asked, and were told that if we were willing to eat at 1:00 we could. Yes! Lunch reservation secured, we headed into town making it as far as the cathedral. The streets were teeming with people, most appearing to be local folks enjoying themselves on a Saturday. There are unique merry go rounds for the kids and the streets were filled with entertainment – puppets, musicians, etc. By the time we got to the cathedral and took a few pictures, it was time to backtrack for lunch. I don't know whether it's because we were early diners or what, but we got an upstairs table with a window overlooking the aqueduct, which I had no hope of getting. We opted for the lamb instead of the suckling pig. Now, we're not big meat eaters but wanted to try the local fare. It was a little gamey for our tastes but I'm glad we gave it a shot. Cost: about 80 euros for appetizer, two entrees, two desserts, coffee and wine, but, again, the view and experience were priceless. After lunch we headed back toward the Alcazar. Perhaps because we ate our lunch early and every else was eating their lunch while we were starting to tour again, we lucked out and were able to see the Alcazar with no crowds. This was especially helpful when climbing the narrow, circular stairwell to the tower. After the Alcazar we headed over to La Tasquina for a glass of wine and some tapas (not that we needed any food after our lunch!). In contemplating our evening back at the apartment in Madrid, I realized that we were low on wine and we asked if they would sell us a bottle to go. To our surprise, they were more than happy to accommodate us, and offered to open the bottle for us in case we didn't have a cork screw. Another "we're not in the USA anymore moment"! After that we headed back to the bus stop to catch our 6:30 train back to Madrid. Again, I don't regret making it a day trip, but could have stayed a night or two in Segovia just to enjoy it as a quaint smaller town given more time in our itinerary.

The following day was a museum day with the morning at the Reina Sofia, quick tapas in the café there, and the afternoon at the Thyssen. I had expected the Reina Sofia to be my favorite Madrid art museum given my tastes, but was surprised that my favorite was the Thyssen. Given that most of the things that I read in advance kind of put it in the "stepsister of the Prado" light, I guess my expectations were low. I loved the collection and the curation so much more than any other museum. Maybe the former Miss Spain and I have more in common than I realized. After the museums, we hit the Gran Via for a stroll before returning to the apartment.

We spent our last day in Madrid with a tour of the Royal Palace (luckily the king was not using it that day), another stop at the Mercado San Miguel, then on the Corte Ingles for some Spanish chocolates that I love (chocolate covered corn kernels!) and some souvenirs to take to those back home. Our last evening in our neighborhood we stopped by Mallorca for goodies and discovered it had a small area in the back for tapas and wine, which of course, we availed ourselves of.

A couple of final Madrid thoughts: Madrid is a beautiful and extremely clean city. It's very walkable, and the Madrilenos stroll, oftentimes several abreast. We did use the Metro a lot, sharing a 10-ride ticket. The Metro is clean and efficient. I did learn however that some stops that are transfer stations involve really long walks. About two days before we left I finally noticed that these types of transfer stations look slightly different on the Metro map to alert you to this fact, something I wish I'd picked up on earlier! Also, with all of the concern we'd read about pickpocketing and taxi fares rip-offs, we either didn't encounter it or were blissfully unaware. I felt safe and comfortable the entire time we spent in Madrid. The people we encountered in Madrid (and other areas of Spain) were friendly and warm. A note about our train trips: I made our reservations from home through the Renfe site, and it was with the usual frustrations that others have experienced. Ultimately one of my credit cards worked, and, yes, it did involve a call to the credit card issuer to unblock the charges.

The staff at the apartment recommended that we reserve our taxi for the next morning in advance, and I did knowing we'd be charged for the reservation and the time to get to us. Again, worth it to me. Not wanting to deal with Madrid traffic we picked up our rental car at the airport (yes, there's a fee for that, but again worth it to me). Reservation was made through Auto Europe and went off with Avis without a hitch. My husband says that I am his GPS so we did not opt for that. Armed with my map and Via Michelin directions (which are great and even tell you when and how much your toll will be), a bag of bocadillas and some water, we hit the road. It was an easy drive to Rioja, the final leg of our trip. However, once we got to Rioja, I was glad that we arrived in daylight; it would have been a challenge for the first time in the dark.

Aaah, Rioja. It is beautiful country. We checked into the Marques de Riscal hotel to begin our time there. Yes, we could have stayed at a quaint b&b for less and had a more "authentic" experience. But for this lover of the grape who didn't have enough time to make it to Bilbao, the combination of wine and Frank Gehry couldn't be beat. We also got a fantastic rate by booking and paying well in advance. A quick dip in the pool, steam room, and Jacuzzi (no extra charges for their use), then a visit to the wine bar for a glass and some tapas, and we were off to bed after checking email on the unexpectedly free wifi. The hotel and service were exceptional, and we spent our first day taking advantage of all it had to offer. The included breakfast is a feast – a sumptuous buffet of cereals, fruit, breads, cheeses, cured meats, fresh squeezed orange juice and sparkling wine, as well as multiple manifestations of coffee. There also is a small menu of hot items that you can order without an extra charge (we opted for the tortilla everyday!). After breakfast we headed to our spa appointments. A body wrap and massage for me, a wine bath (with cranial massage) and massage for my husband. The look on my husband's relaxed face after his wine bath was worth every penny we spent on it (although the spa services were reasonably priced for a resort), and the massage was one of the best I ever had. After the spa we wandered into town to La Ermita only to find it closed. However, as we were walking away the door unlocked and the man inside asked us what we wanted as we couldn't eat, but if we just wanted a drink he could accommodate us. Yes, please! He asked us our preferences and opened a bottle of his family's wine, sliced us some bread and jamon, and spent the next hour or so talking about the wines, olive oils, and art in his store, as well as an overview of the Rioja region and its winemaking. What a treat. We wandered back to the hotel for our scheduled tour of the winery (included in our rate), which lasted about 1 hour and 45 minutes. It was interesting and informative and I'm glad I did it. However, if you've ever toured a large winery before you probably need to make this type of commitment only once in Rioja. At the end of the tour we "tasted" two wines. I put that in quotation marks because those were not tastes as we know them – they were full pours and I was glad I could walk home and not drive! A quick stop by the tapas counter in the winery for a bit of tortilla to hold us until dinner then back to the room for a nap. We had dinner reservations at the gastronomic restaurant for 9:30. We chose the full tasting menu and were not disappointed. I like tasting menus to try a lot of different things and different combinations, and if you get a dud, it's only a taste. Yes, I tried pig's ear. There were several memorable dishes. Cost: about 230 euros for wine and 15 or so small courses, a great view, and excellent service. The cost was comparable to tasting menus I've experienced elsewhere and much more reasonable and memorable than similar experiences at other restaurants (yes, I'm talking to you French Laundry). I will end our day at the MdR with only one minor note. I had tried without success to make arrangements for this day in advance of our arrival via two different email addresses that I found on their Web site and never received a reply. It irritated me that I can communicate electronically with any hotel that I've stayed in around the world, but not the MdR, and I wasn't about to pay to call Spain. Like I said, a small complaint and all turned out well, but, really.

Our last full day in Rioja was my favorite day of the vacation. We are fortunate to count among our friends a restaurant owner who connected us to a wine importer who hooked us up with a local winemaker. This connection was almost not made and indeed was not made by the time we left for Spain. It fell into place just days before. Given this, I had no expectations and a back-up plan, so I was well-positioned to be pleasantly surprised! We arrived at the bodega (allowing extra time to get lost, which we did) and the winemaker laid out a very brief itinerary and we thanked him for his time and were going to be happy with anything he was able to offer. What was pitched as what sounded like a 45-minute or so tour and tasting turned into much more. Indeed, at several points in the day he changed his mind and kept offering more and more. In the end, it was an entire day of touring his vineyards; tasting his wines and hearing him speak passionately about each one – how they were made, what oak they were in, why they were named what they were, what he loved about them and found unique in them; meeting his family and friends; eating his mother's tortilla and his father's peppers; hanging out at a bar with him and other winemakers; and ending with a multi-hour lunch with more wine and food than I care to disclose. And the entire day was spoken in Spanish (my husband is almost fluent and I can get by). It was quite a contrast to the MdR or any other winery I've experienced. This was a small-production, family business carried out in vineyards tended for generations in centuries-old buildings by a man who is truly an artist. The knowledge, passion, and time he shared with us were exceptional and it was the experience of a lifetime. And after it, I needed a four hour nap!

As we said goodbye to Rioja we stopped on the way out of town at the Museum of the Culture of Wine at Bodegas Dinastia Vivanco in Briones. It was kind of a last-minute decision and one that I was very glad we made. We didn't have a reservation, which apparently is needed as a formality, but were able to make one on the spot. It's extensive, informative, intensely interesting, and one of the best-curated museums I've ever experienced. We spent about an hour and a half there, and probably could have spent more time if we didn't need to make the drive back to Madrid. Highly recommended.

The drive back to Madrid was uneventful. However, I recommend allowing plenty of time to find a gas station if you are returning a rental car at the airport. We searched for more than half an hour before we found one that was so new they were just stocking the shelves. My husband joked that it must have been built in the time we were driving around trying to find it. Also, we were returning the car to Terminal 1 and the rental car return area is not well marked until you are right up on it. After returning the car, we caught the shuttle to the Hilton at the Madrid airport where we were staying for one night before our flight out the next day. Note that the hotel Web site lists the shuttle stop as being outside arrival gate 2 and it actually is outside gate 3. In looking around for it we watched it drive away and my heart sank having read other reports of long waits. Luckily we waited only another 20 minutes and were on our way to the Hilton.

The Hilton was a Hilton, which I expected, high prices and all. I had gotten a great rate for the room by prepaying in advance. Upon arrival at the hotel I was asked if we wanted to upgrade to the Executive Floor with breakfast "included" and access to the lounge for 60 euros, and politely declined. When I was asked whether we wanted two twin beds or a king, I said king. Then was told that they were sold out of those rooms. However, I could have a king with the 60-euro upgrade and if we were going to eat breakfast in the hotel it was going to be 26 euros a piece anyway so why didn't we just do it. I was worn down by the drive from Rioja and the experience finding a gas station and shuttle, so I caved and got an upgrade to the President's Floor (president of what I would later ask myself – the senior class?) so that I could spend my last night of vacation in the same bed as my husband. I know, it's common in European hotels to find twin beds. However, in all my European trips I've somehow managed to stay at places that could accommodate me with a bed to share with my husband. But not the Hilton at the Madrid Airport. And it's not so much the cost as the way it was presented to me. I felt gouged. For our inconvenience we were given a coupon for a free drink in the restaurant. When we were seated and asked what we'd like to drink we presented the coupon and said we like to use it and were told, "It's for only one drink." Uh, yes, we understand and wouldn't dare to expect anything more. Dinner in the restaurant was what we expected quality and price-wise. The rooms are modern as many reviews state, and I prefer contemporary style. However, there is a fine line between good design and practicality. As such, the room I stayed in was better suited to someone travelling alone. The bathroom is a big glass square at the entrance to and pretty much into the middle of the room. The "walls" are sliding glass doors that let you into and out of the bathroom. Very cool looking. Impractical in a bedroom shared with another. Let's say someone is in the bathroom at night while another person is trying to sleep in the bed next to the bathroom. In a traditional set up, you might have a sliver of light peeking through under the door. But in this room, the bathroom was a giant glowing cube in the middle of the room. And, of course, being made mostly of glass with a marble floor, there is no noise absorption. Bring your eye mask and ear plugs. And you'll need the ear plugs for another reason: You can hear people next door talking and because the front doors to the rooms are adjoining on the same frame, when your neighbor opens his door, it sounds like he's opening yours. And you'll need your ear plugs to sleep through the night as the room randomly pops. I couldn't figure out what it was – poltergeists? I've never heard anything like it before, but my husband thinks it may have been due to all of the built-in furniture on the wall responding to the built-in bed moving on the other side of the wall. It was weird and highly unusual. Breakfast was an extensive buffet, but probably not something you'll eat 26 euros worth. Oh yeah, forgot it was included in the "upgrade." Also, check the shuttle schedule for the return to the airport. I was asked when I wanted to take the shuttle and said 10:30 or 10:45, and was told to be on the 10:15. I asked again later, wondering whether the later shuttles were already booked and was told that the shuttle driver took a break after the 10:15 run until 11:05. So be mindful of the 50-minute gap. If there ever is a need for a hotel at the Madrid airport in my future, I'll choose somewhere else.

The volcanic ash that had closed airports in Spain very nicely got out of the way and we were able to return home without any problems, happy, rested, and grateful for our time in Spain.

Closing note about things I'm glad I brought with me: My water repellent jacket with lining and hood, gloves, fleece pullover, laundry detergent (because it was colder than we expected and that fleece got a lot of wear and was getting a little gamey …), Michelin maps of Madrid and the Basque country (I like detail), Maribel's guides for eating recommendations and Rick Steve's Spain guide for practical information, and of course, for the Hilton, ear plugs and an eye mask.